One Scoop Lego Challenge

3 January 2019

By Kaylee Wandel

It was nearing the end of the school year for the children of St Matthew’s, with only one week left of school before they could enjoy a long summer holiday. When I arrived at After School Care the children were going about their normal routine. Children were washing their hands ready for their delicious afternoon tea, some had begun watercolour painting with an educator, and another large group were working together to build forts from various blankets, cushions and stage blocks.

On a rug, quietly tucked away near the entrance, a group of children were getting the Lego tub out ready to start playing. When I approached the children to see what they had planned, they told me they are about to start the One Scoop Lego Challenge, which has become a popular game among Lego enthusiasts, as I was told by Ted, Cameron and Alexander.

The One Scoop Lego Challenge is a game that challenges the children’s creativity and ability to build under pressure. The children began by scooping one handful of Lego in front of them without looking into the tub to see what they were scooping out. They were given a few moments to remove any items that were not Lego bricks, under the watchful eye of Judge Alexander. Once their piles were ready to go, without much time to think, they began piecing together their bricks, adding and removing parts until their vision came together. The rules are you have to use every piece of Lego you have pulled out, making for some fun challenges.

“We don’t know what we are building, but it is good to see what we can come up with,” said Ted.

After a few minutes of constructing, the two competitors placed their creations down to observe each other’s work. Ted asked Cameron, “what does this look like?” The two of them discussed the possibilities, coming to the conclusion that it looked like a water plane.

When it came time to judge, the challengers took it in turns to discuss their creation and the thinking behind it, and what each part might represent. Judge Alexander then gave his verdict on which he thought was the best use of all the bricks, and if he felt it looked like what they described. He gave great praise to both the challengers and was excited to share his ideas on how it could be improved.

The children did a best-out-of-five competition and by the end they had a small audience of other children who wanted to join in, and a collection of creations they were proud of.